


The Princess' Fancy

by QueenieZ



Category: Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fantasizing, Fingerfucking, First Time, Hand Jobs, Humor, Love Confessions, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-14
Updated: 2014-03-14
Packaged: 2018-01-15 17:08:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1312636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenieZ/pseuds/QueenieZ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For nearly a decade, poor Princess Zelda has struggled to bury and rebury her childish crush on that cute little boy from the forest.  However,  when she notices how that "cute little boy" has become a strapping young man of eighteen, newly knighted and more dashing than ever, she begins to realize that her feelings for him have grown into something much, much more, and that suppressing those feelings can drive even a strong, dignified monarch like herself absolutely batty.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The knights' graduation ceremony was a most longstanding tradition held dearly by Hyrule's military and the Royal Family.  Every summer, a new class of rookies would complete their four long years of basic and advanced training; then, with the King of Hyrule's blessing, they would be knighted and welcomed as part of the kingdom's most elite military branch.  With knighthood came a wealth of privilege and prestige, but also the great responsibility of protecting the kingdom from any foe, man or beast, that would dare to cause it harm.

This year's ceremony, as per tradition, would be presided over by the king himself; his daughter, Zelda, would not take part in the proceedings until she had taken his place as Hyrule's reigning monarch.  Normally, she would not even bother attending - she had her own matters to worry about, after all.  However, this year was a notable exception, for there was nothing that would have kept her from showing her support and pride as her dearest friend graduated as a full-fledged knight!

With a frown, Zelda squinted her eyes, scanning the far end of the ballroom for said friend's face.  She knew that she would be able to pick out Link from amongst the other men waiting to be knighted as her father droned on about courage and valiance and whatnot. She bit her lip worriedly, however, when she found that he was nowhere to be seen in the first row of graduates, and she stood on her toes to get a better look.

Suddenly, she spotted one of the men at the far right of the group poke his head up from behind the first row.  Zelda immediately recognized the bright blond hair and slightly perturbed expression - it was most definitely Link, the youngest and shortest in his class, struggling to see over the shoulders of his fellow graduates.  She stifled a giggle as he glanced back and forth across the ballroom; then, when their eyes finally met, he flashed her a cheerful grin.

Zelda replied with a bright smile of her own and a small wave; she knew that Link had been eagerly looking forward to finishing his training and finally joining the ranks of knighthood.  His experiences as the Hero of Time had instilled in him a desire to continue helping others, and his lack of a home he could return to left him searching for a place he could belong.  It was joining Hyrule's military that had allowed him to achieve both, and thanks to his strong spirit and seasoned swordsmanship, he was able to grow and flourish there.

She fixed her eyes on his form as the ceremony continued, with each graduate approaching the king to be formally knighted and awarded a pin designating their new status.  Indeed, the princess could not be more proud of her friend, who had worked so hard and suffered so much to get this far.  She marveled at how much he had changed in only four years; he had enlisted two years too early, as a precocious boy of fourteen, and now he stood as a grown man, tall and strong, proud and noble.

As he heard his name called and approached the king, Link's maturity was made all the more noticeable - he knelt graciously, and once the tip of the ceremonial blade had touched his shoulder, he looked back up, his face alight with gratitude.  Then, he stood to receive his pin from the eldest knight captain, and with one last eager glance towards Zelda, he joined his comrades on the right hand side of the ballroom.

Zelda noticed her breath catch in her throat ever so slightly when their eyes met the second time, and as she watched him disappear into the crowd of graduates, she couldn't help but wonder why.  She lowered her gaze to the ground as she felt her cheeks grow slightly warm.  Had Link always been so... _handsome_?  She knew he had changed over the past few years - but perhaps she had underestimated just how _much_ he had changed.

Regaining her composure, she stood in wait for the ceremony to conclude, occasionally looking towards her right in the hopes of catching another glimpse of Link.

\---

The halls outside of the ballroom were chaos once the graduation ceremony had ended.  Between all of the graduates looking for their loved ones and throngs of guests making their way towards the exit, Zelda worried that she would never find Link (the fact that all of her father's friends had decided to stop and say hello to her hadn't helped either).  After finally managing to maneuver to a relatively uncrowded spot by the wall, the princess stood on her toes once more, narrowing her eyes as she continued to search for him.

"Zelda...!!"

The sound of her name amongst the crowd's chatter startled her, and she turned towards it.  However, she had barely any time to react before she felt a set of strong arms lift her into the air and twirl her around.  Once she felt her feet touch the floor again, she looked up to see Link grinning down at her, his face flushed in excitement.

"There you are," he said brightly, "I thought I'd never find you!"

Zelda sighed, putting a hand to her chest.  "You scared me, Link!" she said with a nervous, breathy laugh.

"S-Sorry," replied Link, letting go of his friend and scratching his nose bashfully, "I got a little excited there, didn't I..."

"It's all right," Zelda said, smiling as she smoothed down a few stray hairs on his bangs with her fingertips, "I don't blame you.  You looked so eager while you were waiting to be knighted."  She lowered her hand and tilted her head.  "Speaking of, did Father ever say anything to you after the ceremony?"

He nodded.  "Yeah, he congratulated me and gave me a big handshake," his grin returned as he continued, "and then he told me that you'd have it in for me if I didn't go to see you first thing."

The princess laughed.  "He warned you well!"  She placed her hands on his cheeks affectionately.  "...You worked so hard to get here," she said, "and you're going to go on and do great things as a Knight of Hyrule.  I'm so proud of you, Link."

Link shook his head, gently taking her hands and wrapping them in his.  "If it wasn't for you, Zelda, I wouldn't have ever made it this far."  He held her hands between the two of them and smiled warmly.  "You're the one who convinced me to enlist - you pulled the strings so they'd give me a chance to prove myself.  I didn't know what I was going to do with myself after I came back to Hyrule, but now I have a home, I have friends - I have a _life_ ahead of me, and it's all thanks to you."

"I... I hardly had anything to do with it," said Zelda, lifting her gaze from their hands to his face once more, "I was -- "

She stopped suddenly when she finally caught a glimpse of his tender expression; whatever she had planned to say was lost as she found herself completely mesmerized.  She's seen this gentle side of him before, but there was just something about his face, the way his eyes shone with affection, the way his bright golden locks framed his cheeks... the way he looked in that dress uniform, a handsome navy blue jacket with a high collar and gold trim, his pin engraved with the Knights' crest fastened to the front like a proud badge of courage... the way he was so lovingly holding her hands...!

"...Zelda?" Link asked after a moment's silence, his warm expression falling in confusion.  "You were what?"

The flustered princess startled out of her reverie.  "A-Ah, I was... um..." Oh, no, she thought, how could she let herself be distracted like that?  She turned bright red as she tried desperately to remember what she was going to say.  "I was... I was just..."

" _Oi_!  Link!" cried a gruff voice from amongst the crowd, "The after party's fixin' to start!  Quit lollygaggin' or we'll leave ya behind...!"

Link winced a little.  "That's right, I completely forgot..." He let go of Zelda's hands and rubbed the back of his head.  "Sorry, I promised I'd go celebrate with the guys...  But, uh, we're still going to celebrate, right?  Just the two of us?"

"Oh, uh," stammered Zelda, smiling slightly in an attempt to hide her unease, "yes!  Tomorrow afternoon, just like we agreed on."

"Great," said Link as he began walking backwards, "I'll meet you at the barracks...!"  Then, he disappeared into the crowd, joining a handful of his fellow graduates as they left the hall together.  After seeing him off with a small wave, Zelda, having kept her composure for as long as she could, went into a panic.  Inhaling sharply, she sat down on a plush bench next to the wall and buried her beet red face in her hands.

No, she repeated to herself in her head - no, no, _no_ , this couldn't be happening... not _again_...!!

\---

Alas, it had indeed happened again.  Truth be told, this was far from the first time Zelda had allowed her heart to skip a beat over Link - for the past nine years, she'd been trapped in a never-ending flux of feelings towards him.  There were times when she would find herself unbearably lovestruck, followed by a period where she convinced herself that it was nothing more than a momentary crush.  Then, right when she was finally able to feel content with having him as her best friend, he would do something - such as surprising her with a flower from the courtyard, catching her when she fell, or even simply looking at her a certain way - that would set her heart alight once more.  It was a constant cycle of heartache and complacency, and each passing year spent at his side only made the heartache that much worse.

Zelda gazed into her teacup, having not bothered to drink its contents and allowing them to go cold, and sighed discontentedly. What had she even been thinking that afternoon at the graduation ceremony?  She had thought that after all this time she would have learned to finally control her childish little crushes - and yet, here she was, fixating on that cute little boy from the forest, just as she had been since she was nine years old.

...No, she thought, Link wasn't that cute little boy anymore.  He was a man - a grown man, an unbearably sweet, strong, generous, _handsome_ man - and now, with his years of journeying and training, with his sharp dress uniform and a lifetime's worth of courage burning in his eyes, he had completed his metamorphosis from the precocious fairy child of her youth into the very definition of a knight in shining armor.  And with that realization, she began to dread that the stirring in her chest was not the silly, immature puppy love she'd experienced before, but something far, far worse.

"Your Highness," said a familiar voice, "you haven't touched your tea.  Is something the matter?"

Blinking, Zelda turned to her right.  "Oh, Impa," she said with a slightly nervous edge.  She shook her head and placed her cup and saucer down on the end table beside her.  "Nothing's the matter; I simply... wasn't as thirsty as I thought I was."

"I see," she said, knowing better than to simply take her word for it.  She continued her questioning.  "So, how did the knights' graduation go?"

"It went very well," said Zelda, forcing herself to smile.  "Father did an excellent job with the proceedings, as I'm sure he always does."

"And what about Link?" asked Impa, "After all, you did go to watch him graduate, not to hear your father speak."

Zelda swallowed.  "L-Link was..."  Her smile began to twitch.  "He did very well.  I was very proud of him, and he was very hand -- "

Impa gave her an amused look when she stopped in mid sentence to bite down on her tongue.  "Go on."

"He was very... _happy_ to finally enter the ranks of knighthood," said Zelda.  Though, try as she might, she doubted that she was able to fool Impa.  Goddesses above, she herself may have been clairvoyant, but it was clearly Impa who possessed the ability to read her mind!

"Yes, of course," replied Impa, "I'm sure he was."  She turned to leave, but not before taking one last glance at her charge.  "...I know that I have said this before, but denial doesn't suit someone as intelligent as you."

Zelda shot her a glare.  "And just what is _that_ supposed to mean, Impa?"

Impa turned away once more, hiding the small smile forming on her lips.  "Forgive me, Princess," she said, "I meant nothing by it."

She left, leaving Zelda once again in a flustered mess.  With an aggravated sigh, she left her seat and approached the window, resting a hand on the glass as she watched the sky grow dark.   _Denial_ , she said... yes, perhaps she was in denial - but perhaps denial could once again keep these embarrassing, cumbersome feelings at bay, just as it had in the past.

But as the vision of Link's stately form and kind smile once again invaded her thoughts, she knew that this time, it would take much more than mere denial to make them go away.

\---

The next morning was something of a blur for Zelda.  By some miracle, she had managed to keep her thoughts about Link to minimum for most of the previous night; however, one glance out of her window at the outline of the barracks to the north reminded her of her promise to meet him that afternoon.  After that, it seemed as though every single little thing in the castle made her think of him.

She closed the curtains whenever she saw the tulips in the courtyard outside; they reminded her of the day they met, when he appeared as if from nowhere with a sacred mark on his hand and warnings of Ganondorf's treason on his lips.  She walked past the kitchen and the smell of freshly-baked rolls as fast as she could; it only reminded her of the time she snuck him in before the harvest feast and allowed him to take all the rolls he wanted.  She even turned her gaze away from the grand portrait of her father and late mother that hung in the hallway near the throne room, for it served as a painful reminder of a dream she had no business dreaming.

The thought of such a thing - a life with Link, a Hyrule with her as queen and him as king! There was such little chance of that ever happening that she scolded herself for even entertaining the idea.  Link was the kind of man who could easily win over any woman he wanted - the probability that he would set his eyes on her out of all the other girls he'd met on his travels seemed astronomical.

But something else convinced her even more than the numerical odds - her guilt.  Link had told her everything about his journey in an alternate future as the Hero of Time; every visceral detail, every moment of his suffering and the role she had played in causing it all.  Although he never once blamed her, although she could not remember these events herself on a conscious level, something deep within her soul stirred when he told his story, and she knew it all to be true without a shadow of a doubt.  How could she ever kid herself into thinking he would want her, the one whose foolishness robbed his innocence and forced him to suffer unimaginable tragedies?  She had no right to even ask him to be her acquaintance, much less her king.

Yes, perhaps it was that guilt and hopelessness that was ultimately behind her desperate denial of her own feelings - however, she didn't particularly want to dwell on it, and she had to somehow pull herself together before her da... _celebratory outing_ with Link.

That afternoon, Zelda changed into one of her reserved "commoner" outfits - a cute lavender colored dress - removed her makeup, and braided her hair.  She and Link had gone out into town numerous times over the years, but in order to do so without being bothered by guards and gawking townsfolk, she would have to dress plainly and be discreet.  However, she never minded the change; in fact, she sometimes felt more like herself when she wasn't wearing her royal jewels or makeup.

After she finished getting ready, she slipped out the back of the castle, retrieved her horse from the stables, and embarked on a short trek towards the barracks.  As she approached the gates, her heart began to race nervously - what if she couldn't keep a level head around him?  What if she started stammering like a fool again, like she had the previous day?  What if she accidentally said something she would regret - or worse, told him how she really felt?

She inhaled sharply and fixed her steely gaze at the complex before her.  She had to pull herself together - Link was her friend and _only_ her friend, and she resolved to treat him as such.  She was a _lady_ , the dignified Princess of Hyrule, not some starry-eyed, giggly, hormonal _teenager_ \--

Suddenly, her eye caught a familiar figure exiting the western building, where the bunks and living areas were located.  When she recognized it as Link, she gasped slightly and quickly maneuvered her horse out of sight.  The moment she glanced back to see what he was doing, her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

The summer afternoon was a warm one, and although Link was once again wearing the pants of his dress uniform, he was holding the matching jacket over his shoulder, revealing a standard, military-issued, _extremely form fitting_ undershirt.  Though it looked quite cool and comfortable, it most certainly did not leave much to the imagination, and Zelda got a full view of just how much his training had paid off.  His arms, marked with faint scars from his training missions, were toned and muscular; his abdominal muscles looked as though they'd be rock hard to the touch.  And his pecs - merciful Goddesses, his _pecs_... if he looked this good in and undershirt, Zelda could only imagine how he'd look without --

Covering her mouth to keep from screeching out loud, Zelda quickly looked away.   _Dammit all_ , she thought - of all the times he had to waltz around the barracks in skin-tight clothing, it had to be when she was there!  ...No, she couldn't place the fault on Link for taking off his jacket; she had no one but herself and her own filthy mind to blame for the heat building in her cheeks and - elsewhere.  One thing was for certain, however; there was no way she was going to be able to face him now, not after this...!

Panicked, Zelda nudged her horse into a quick trot back towards the castle.  Then, when she knew that she was out of earshot, she continued to ride in a full-blown gallop.

\---

After sneaking back into her room, Zelda slammed the door, locked it, then collapsed face-first onto her bed.  She held her breath for a moment, then exhaled with something that could be described as a half sigh, half exasperated groan.  So much for being a dignified lady - she just stood up her best friend because she couldn't keep herself from mentally undressing him!  She knew she'd had her fair share of immature, selfish fantasies involving Link, but _this_!?

She scolded herself mentally, over and over again.  Thinking such things about someone she knew she would never be able to have, someone who had always been so kind and chaste... she thought she would never be able to forgive herself for it.  And yet... and yet...

Rolling over to her side, she sniffled, tears of frustration threatening to leave her eyes.  Princess Zelda was many things - the heir to Hyrule's throne, the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, a key player in a divine plan she could only begin to fathom - but, right now, she was merely a young woman who was hopelessly, miserably in love with her best friend.  She loved his kindness, his compassion, his optimism, his boyish enthusiasm, his courage, his ferocity, his smile, his face, his pecs, his _everything_!  She wanted to be by his side every day, to be held in his strong arms, to lay with him in fields of wildflowers and to snuggle up with him during rainstorms!  She wanted to touch him, she wanted to feel him touch her - she wanted him to kiss her deeply as they made love while she ran her fingers through his beautiful golden locks...!

As she allowed her thoughts to run wild once again, she crossed her legs absently - then, to her shock, she noticed just how damp her underwear had become.  Mortified, curled herself into a ball, grabbed one of her pillows, and buried her face in it.

Finally, with a deep breath, she screamed, her pillow taking the full brunt of her unbearable sexual frustration.


	2. Chapter 2

Princess Zelda was known throughout the castle for her resolve if nothing else.  It was a quality that would serve her well upon her ascension to the throne; on her best days, she possessed a strength of will and determination that could see her through any situation.  
  
Today, however, was _not_ her best of days, as displayed by how she had locked herself in her chambers and demanded her guards and servants not to let anyone visit her.  
  
After adjusting her blanket so that it covered her shoulders, Zelda took a slow bite of the dinner that had been brought to her.  She chewed it lethargically - she hadn't felt very hungry, but she knew that she had to eat _something_ , even if it was the stringy asparagus that the castle chefs always managed to overcook.  Before she could swallow her food, she yawned, as she had been all day; it was dreadfully hard to sleep while battling to keep thoughts of a man that wasn't hers out of her head, after all.  
  
She then looked out the window, the outline of the barracks growing ever fainter as the rain grew ever more severe.  How appropriate, she thought; even the skies of Hyrule felt sorry for her pathetic self after the decadence and cowardice she'd shown the previous day.  To have such selfish, lustful thoughts about her best friend - to have broken her promise to him on the day they were supposed to celebrate his knighting - to be sitting here, locked up in her room, unwilling to venture out for fear of having to face him...  
  
Sighing deeply, she returned to attention to her food.  Who would have thought that something as silly as lovesickness could turn a strong, dignified princess into a whimpering, spineless cur?  
  
Just as her fork was about to reach her lips, she heard a sharp _tap_ coming from the direction of her window.  She froze momentarily, wondering if the rain had suddenly become hail.  When she heard the second _tap_ , however, her heart sank into the pit of her stomach - there was only one person in the entirety of the kingdom who would try to get her attention by throwing pebbles at her window.  
  
Zelda quickly leapt from the seat of her chair and towards the wall near the window, peeking through it ever so slightly.  Her fears were confirmed - there, on the ground two stories beneath her window, was Link, wrapped in a rain cloak, which he lowered the hood of to get a better look inside.  Upon closer inspection, she could see an expression of worry and frustration on his face.  Of course he'd do this, standing out in the middle of a rainstorm to see if she was all right; his concern for his friends was just one more thing to love about him.  But now, she simply wanted him to forget about her and leave...!  
  
"Zelda?" he called, his voice muffled by the rain and the glass.  "Zelda!  You're in there, aren't you?"  
  
She bit her fingernail anxiously.  Link was stubborn - she knew he wasn't going to give up and leave so easily.  But what was she going to tell him, that she'd come down with a terrible, contagious stomach bug the day before?  ...Well, she supposed it was as good a lie as any.  With a deep breath, she approached the window and opened it.  
  
"L-Link!" she said, her voice shaky, "What are you doing out in the rain like this?  You'll catch your death of cold!"  
  
Link's face contorted into a slight scowl.  "I'm standing out here because _your_ guards wouldn't let me inside!"  He then allowed his expression to soften again into one of worry.  "You never showed up at the barracks yesterday, and now you've told the guards not to let me see you!  If there's something wrong, I want you to tell me...!"  
  
A pang of guilt surged through Zelda, and she turned her head slightly, biting her lip as she did.  
  
"...Zelda," he said, " _please_.  You can tell me what's going on."  
  
Zelda shut her eyes and slumped her shoulders.  "...Come inside," she said with a sigh of resignation as she backed away from the windowsill.  
  
She was not surprised when Link approached the outer wall and took a hold of one of the vines attached to it; he was no stranger to sneaking in through her window, and she'd been allowing him to visit her in her chambers since they were children.  He anchored his feet to the wall, then climbed it almost effortlessly, taking extra care not to slip on the wet stone.  Finally, he stepped through the open window, shut it behind him, then removed his wet cloak, hanging it on the coat rack near the closet.  He was greeted with a towel from Zelda, who had gone to the adjacent washroom to retrieve it.  
  
"Thanks," he said, taking the towel and drying his face and hair with it.  However, his plain cotton tunic had gotten somewhat drenched in the front, and when he lowered his arms, Zelda could see the wet fabric clinging to his chest.  She gasped slightly, covered her mouth with her hand, and turned away, causing Link to stare at her in confusion.  "...What?  Is there something on my face?"  
  
"N-N-No, I just..." Zelda kept her gaze away from his damp form - by all that was holy in Hyrule, now the gods were simply mocking her!  "...I just... haven't felt well since yesterday."  
  
"Is that why you didn't come yesterday afternoon?"  
  
She turned back to him, fixing her eyes firmly on his so they wouldn't wander.  Then, she opened her mouth to answer him with the lie she prepared - and instantly froze when she saw the gentle concern in his eyes.  ...No, she realized, there was no way she could lie to that face.  Not to him.  Link was so good, so honest - he didn't deserve her lies.  But if she told him the truth... if she told him all the selfish thoughts she had...  
  
Suddenly, Zelda remembered the word Impa had used the day before - _denial_ \- and she knew that the older woman couldn't have been more correct. She'd spent all these years in a constant, painful state of denial, trying to bury her feelings for Link in a forgotten corner of her soul.  But she never could - sooner or later, they would resurface and torment her once again, and the more she denied them, the greater her heartache became.  
  
That was when she finally realized that, for better or for worse, her love for Link was never going to go away, no matter how much she wanted it to.  And now, for the sake of her own sanity, she had no choice but to accept it.  
  
Zelda's vision blurred with tears, her lips trembling as they began pouring down her face.  Seeing this, Link lifted his arms in a panic.  
  
"Z-Zelda?" he stammered, "No, Zelda, don't cry, I was -- "  
  
She buried her face in her hands and began to sob.  "I'm sorry!" she said, her voice choked, "I'm so sorry, Link!  All this time - all this time I've kept so much from you...!"  
  
Link approached her, laying his hands on her shoulders.  "Hey, it's okay," he said in a hushed voice.  "You don't have to keep anything from me.  We're friends, aren't we?"  
  
"I know... I know that, but..." Zelda wiped at her eyes with the backs of her hands.  "I-If you knew the kind of things I've been thinking - the stupid, _selfish_ things I've been thinking...!"  
  
His lips curling into a half smile, he tilted his head.  "Try me."  
  
Her breath hitching and her hands shaking, she began.  "I've had feelings for you all these years, Link... Back then, when we were young, you were so sweet and kind, and you always wanted to help me, no matter what..." She looked back at him, her eyes and face red and tear streaked.  "Now look at you - a grown man, a _knight_!  When I saw you at the graduation ceremony... when I saw how much you'd grown, how strong and handsome you'd become..."  
  
She choked on another painful sob as Link could only stare in shock, his grip on her shoulders beginning to slip. "Z-Zelda, I -- "  
  
"I couldn't stand it!" she cried out in a sudden outburst.  "I couldn't stand how - how _perfect_ you were!  No matter what I did, no matter where I went, I couldn't stop thinking about how much I _wanted_ you!  I tried so hard to deny it - I tried so, so hard - but I _can't_ , Link!  I can't do it anymore!  I feel like I'm about to go _mad_!  I just -- "  
  
Suddenly, she was silenced by a warm pair of lips pressing against hers, taking her breath away and stilling her heart in mid-beat.  She stared, teary-eyed and bewildered, as Link kissed her, his hands lowering to hers and squeezing them affectionately.  Finally, he pulled his face away, his cheeks flushed and his breath heavy.  
  
"I'd been waiting to do that for a while," he said somewhat nervously between labored breaths. "...I guess that was as good a time as any."  
  
Zelda stared a moment longer at him, trying to wrap her head around what had just occurred.  Link had kissed her - he had _kissed her_ , and he'd been _waiting_ to kiss her... which could only mean...!  
  
Somewhere within the princess, a switch was flipped.  She took his face in her hands and kissed him again, vigorously, with all of the passion and all of the love she'd repressed for so long.  Link yelped into her mouth, losing his balance and sending the both of them tumbling onto her bed, with Zelda on top of him.  When they regained their bearings, she lifted herself with her arms, her eyes sparkling with delight.  
  
"I," she stammered breathlessly, "I had no idea, Link... I thought you surely would have found someone else by now...!"  
  
"Are you kidding?" he replied, reaching up to touch her face with his fingertips, "I've loved you since before we even met."  
  
Zelda blinked, flattered, but slightly confused.  At this, Link grinned cheekily.  
  
"Time travel, remember?"  
  
She laughed brightly - yes, of course, how could she have forgotten?  Then again, perhaps it was easy to forget things when every fiber of her being was tempting her to kiss him again.  And kiss him again she did, clumsily engulfing his lips with hers, as if experimenting with a concept that was once foreign to her - not denial, but desire.  Link, too, seemed enthralled by this brand new sensation; he lifted his hands, tangling his fingers in her hair and caressing it lovingly.  Finally, the two separated, gasping for air as they did.  
  
Zelda opened her mouth to speak again.  However, before she could, she suddenly realized that she'd unconsciously placed a hand upon his chest.  As she finally began to register the feel of damp cotton and toned muscle, she panicked slightly, removing herself from him and sitting down on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Zelda?" asked Link with a slight frown as he sat up.  "...Did I do something wrong?"  
  
She shook her head.  "It isn't you, it's..." she rubbed the remaining tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand.  "...No, no, it's too embarrassing, I can't say it..."  
  
Link simply covered her free hand with his, looking at her expectantly.  She turned to face him; then, she looked down at her feet, her cheeks growing redder by the moment as she began.  
  
"...In truth, I really did go to see you at the barracks yesterday," she said.  "I waited for you by the gates, and I was trying so hard to keep myself together."  She covered a cheek with her palm and clenched her eyes shut.  "And then you came out in that... that... _tiny shirt_!  I could nearly see _everything_!"  
  
Now it was Link's turn to blush as he realized how he'd flustered her so badly without even realizing it.  He turned to his left and scratched his cheek, embarrassed.  "Y...Yeah, I guess the undershirts are a little... skin-tight..."  
  
"I don't even know what I was thinking!" said Zelda, throwing her hand up in exasperation.  "You were just so - so - _attractive_!  My mind started wandering to all kinds of strange places, and ever since I've been beside myself trying _not_ to imagine you making love to -- "  
  
She clenched her mouth shut and glanced back at Link, who had turned the brightest shade of red she'd ever seen and whose mouth was flapping open and shut like a Hylian bass'.  Mortified for poor Link as well as herself, she buried her face in her hands again.  
  
"...I know," she whimpered, "I'm horrible."  
  
For a moment, Link didn't answer her; he was too busy covering his mouth with his hand and trying desperately to keep the growing heat in his face - and his lap, if the way he crossed his legs was any indication - under control.  Then, after an uncomfortable silence, he finally spoke.  
  
"The guys at the barracks," he said, "they always did bug me about this kind of thing."  
  
Zelda peeked at him from behind her hands.  "What do you mean?"  
  
"Y-You know," answered Link, scratching at his hairline, "women.  Having a girlfriend.  Sleeping with a woman."  He grimaced slightly.  "Some of them would laugh at me when I told them I was a virgin - they'd even offer to 'find' someone for me.  I hated that - I always hated that!  I've dealt with way too much to just trust some random girl with that sort of thing!"  
  
Lowering her hands from her face, Zelda's heart sank.  However, just when she had opened her mouth to apologize - to tell him that he deserved someone less lascivious than herself --  
  
"...But," said Link quietly, "I always thought I could trust you."  
  
The princess tensed slightly in surprise.  "...You did?"  
  
He nodded, summoning the courage to face her once again and take her hands.  "I've loved you for so long - if there's anyone I would want to share myself with, it's you, Zelda."  
  
There he was, holding her hands the way he'd held them at the ceremony two days before - however, this time, he seemed nervous.  His expression was tense, and she could feel his pulse beating rapidly in his wrists.  Maybe, she thought, he had experienced the same thoughts and feelings that she had - and maybe, just maybe, expressing those feelings wasn't such a shameful thing after all.  
  
Removing her hands from Link's, she placed them on his chest.  Then, she leaned forward, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"I would like that," she said, "I would like that a lot."  
  
Smiling sheepishly, Link stroked her hair affectionately for a moment; then, he put his hands on her shoulders, sitting her upright before reaching for the hem of his tunic and pulling it off, revealing that amazingly sculpted body she had become so fixated with.  
  
Entranced, Zelda placed her fingertips on the skin of his chest, taking in the sight of him.  She moved her fingers across his skin, over the small scars that pockmarked his torso, and down his abdominal muscles.  Her touch caused Link to inhale slightly.  
  
"Sorry about all the scars," he said bashfully.  
  
"Don't be," said Zelda, laying both palms on his torso with a small smile, "I think they're wonderful."  She leaned forward, planting a kiss on one of the scars on his breast, followed by another on a nearby mark; then another, then another.  Link shut his eyes, enjoying the feel of her hands and lips on his body; the knowledge that he was pleasing to her sight.  Eventually, her hands slinked lower and lower down his torso, until they finally met the waist of his pants.  Noticing this, she pulled away from him and looked down, blinking when she saw the slightest bulge in his lap.  
  
Goodness, she thought, she'd been taught the facts of life like any other educated person - but it still surprised her to see his body react like this!  She looked back up at Link, silently asking him what she should do next.  
  
"...Oh!" he cried, putting his thumbs down the waistband of his pants and squirming to remove them.  "I, uh, I guess I should... er..."  
  
Zelda giggled slightly at his awkwardness; that's right, this would be the first time for both of them, wouldn't it?  The thought made her slightly nervous, but she chose instead to think of it as a learning experience - exploration, even, of their bodies as well as their feelings for each other.  
  
Link discarded his pants and underwear, leaving himself completely exposed to Zelda.  He repositioned himself so that he was leaning back on the palms of his hands, then flashed her a timid, red-faced smile.  
  
"I'm, uh," he said, "not exactly sure what happens next... but..."  
  
However, Zelda wasn't particularly paying attention to what he was saying, for she was more focused on the half-hardened organ between his legs.  Again, she had known what to expect from the anatomy books she'd been made to read during her adolescence, but a picture was much different from the real thing!  Curious, she came closer to Link, taking his shoulder in one hand and reaching for his member with the other, stopping only to ask his permission.  
  
"M-May I...?"  
  
Swallowing, Link nodded.  Then, ever so gently, she touched him, sending a small shiver down his spine.  She brushed his length lightly with her fingertips.  Once he let out a small whine of pleasure, however, she smiled to herself in accomplishment and took a firmer hold of him.  Slowly, she began to stroke him, causing Link to shut his eyes and whimper her name.  
  
"F-Faster," he mumbled, "please..."  
  
Growing more excited by the prospect of pleasuring him, Zelda obliged.  She increased her pace, looking back towards his face.  She had no idea that his flushed face and his tiny moans of pleasure would be so endearing!  Leaning forward, she planted a messy kiss on his lips, which Link struggled to return.  Eventually, her stroking and kissing became too much for him; he came with a muffled cry, and Zelda, startled somewhat by the resulting mess, raised her palm to inspect it curiously.  
  
Link reclined a little, reeling from his climax.  "That was... that was good..."  However, when he opened his eyes and saw Zelda eyeing the fluids in her hand oddly, he quickly grabbed the towel he'd used earlier from the floor and wiped it for her.  
  
"Sorry," he muttered apologetically, "that's normal."  
  
"I know," she assured him with a slight giggle.  Once he'd finished cleaning her hand, she reached for the skirt of her dress, smiling bashfully.  "...I'm glad it felt good for you."  Then, she lifted her dress and removed it, revealing a sheer slip that made Link blush once more just from looking at it.  She gently took his hands, placing them on the bottom of the slip.  "Go on."  
  
Realizing that she wanted him to remove the undergarment for her, he took the fabric tentatively, then lifted it.  Zelda raised her arms allowing him to remove the slip completely and lay it aside.  He then found himself face to face with her bare breasts, causing him to inhale sharply.  Finally, he lifted his gaze to her face inquisitively.  
  
"Do you want me to... um...?"  
  
Her cheeks glowing slightly the implications, she nodded.  Link then lifted his left hand and, hesitantly, placed it on the top of her breast.  He slid his palm down the side, admiring its shape and the softness of her skin before beginning to massage it more thoroughly.  Zelda felt the already intense heat between her legs grow as he rubbed her; when she felt his right hand upon her other breast, she gasped.  
  
"Ah," she whined, "that's good..."  
  
Link's eyes brightened at the sound of her praise, and he leaned forward to kiss the skin of her chest in much the same way she had for him.  She reveled in his ministrations for a moment longer, but eventually the growing heat became unbearable.  She gently took Link's head into her arms, pulling him down with her as she laid down completely on the bed.  
  
"Link," she said pleadingly, "touch me, please..."  
  
He blinked; then, after figuring out what she meant, he looked down to her underwear.  He frowned to himself, as if suddenly self-conscious.  He took a deep breath to summon his determination, then finally took a hold of her panties and slid them off of her legs.  He then reached between them, using two of his fingers to slide up and down her entrance, the moistness of which surprised him quite a bit.  
  
"It's all..." he muttered, " _wet_..."  
  
She laughed slightly, amused.  "Sorry," she said in a playful mockery of his earlier words, "that's normal."  
  
Snickering in spite of himself at her joke, Link continued his slow exploration of her entrance.  Eventually, his fingers found their way to her clitoris, a small, swollen area near the very top, causing her to groan.  
  
"There," she said, "that's where it - _ah_...!"  
  
Before she could finish her thoughts, Link had taken the opportunity to rub her more eagerly.  She whined softly in response, bucking into his touch.  Goddesses, she thought, this was really happening to her - Link, her Link, the boy she'd loved for as long as she could remember, was touching her, _loving_ her, just like she had imagined in her wildest of thoughts...!  She opened her eyes, directing her hazy gaze towards him.  
  
"Link," she repeated, "kiss me..."  
  
Link was more than happy to oblige her; his left hand still massaging her, he leaned forward, engulfing her lips in one last kiss.  She moaned into his mouth, reaching up to run her hands through those golden locks she'd dreamed of and unwittingly undoing the tie that kept it pulled back in the process.  Finally, _finally_ , all of that tension, all of that frustration she'd experienced over the past few days was released; she wrapped her legs around his as she reached her climax, her cries muffled only by his lips.  
  
Pulling her head away from his, Zelda tried to catch her breath.  Link, having been left quite breathless as well, looked down at her inquisitively.  
  
"Was that okay?" he said between huffs.  
  
"More than okay," replied Zelda, lowering her hands to caress his face.  "Thank you, Link... I just feel so... so..."  
  
"Relieved?"  Link rolled to his side and reached over to play with a strand of her hair.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Yeah," he said with a grin, "me too."  
  
She closed her eyes, basking in his presence and sighing contentedly.  She would have been perfectly happy staying that way, too - however, Link's nervous voice eventually shattered that momentary bliss.  
  
"You think this would be grounds for discharge?"  
  
"...What?"  
  
"Having an affair with the princess."  He swallowed, his eyes widened in sudden terror.  "Your father's going to kill me if he finds out, and I'm sure that Impa would do even worse."  
  
With a frown, Zelda sat up.  "Not if I have anything to say about it."  She reached over, grabbed Link's pants and underwear and handed them to him.  "...You probably ought to get dressed, though, before someone comes upstairs."  
  
"Y-Yeah," said Link, getting out of bed to redress, "good idea."  
  
Zelda grabbed a hold of her own clothes, slipping her panties back on first.  However, before she could lift her slip over her head, she managed to catch a very handsome glimpse of Link's rear end as he struggled to pull up his boxer shorts, and she grinned to herself.  Yes, she was definitely going to have trouble getting _that_ image out of her head; but at this point, why would she ever want to?


End file.
